We've made it to NYC for NSS 2013! We hope you'll swing by our booth to see our new line of letterpressed cards and new suites in the wedding collection! Can't wait to see all of our sweet retailers and meet some wonderful new ones!
Imagine my delight when I opened my e-mail today, and one of my favorite shops sent out an e-mail featuring our design!
Holy smokes! What a fun project! We couldn't have been more excited to be commissioned to do a little chalk art for this contest. As if we didn't love shopping Land of Nod enough, the people behind the scenes make them infinitely more loveable. So waste no time, go getcha self an unbelievable room designed by the Land of Nod!
We helped put together a little family Valentines Day breakfast for Anthology! We love the idea of affirming your family on a day like that before they ever even leave the house. Growing up, I remember the effort my parents put into making sure Valentine’s Day morning was special for us. Regardless of what Valentines we did or didn’t receive at school, we knew without a doubt how loved and cherished we were! Also, few things say love like nutella stuffed french toast. When all else fails, eat chocolate. Follow the link for the recipe!
We have long adored the Novogratz, dating back to their first hit show on Bravo, 9 by Design. Their value for family-fun and functionality mixed with their iconic style was almost more than we could handle. Fast forward to present day- they are now wowing us again with an edgy yet nostalgic design they’re implementing into Anthology's new vacation rental in Seabrook, WA! P.S. You can totally win a trip there- learn how!
Holy Whop OH-LA! My brother-in-law just gave us one of the coolest gifts ever in this little video from our little backyard Cajun gender reveal party! He's so talented, yes?! And just one more person worth totally celebrating for not only the blessing they are to our life, but for who they'll be in this sweet baby's life too!
Hooray!!!! We're havin' a....
PS Lucas also makes BEAUTIFUL wedding videos, and yes you should e-mail him!
Onion. Made by Mr. Garett Mayfield for week 17, says his wife ever so unbiasedly. Also, this child moves a whole lot.
Hooray! We are so excited to have our stationery been featured twice this week alongside our incredibly talented friends, Sweet Sunday Events.
Featured Stationery: Edmund
And you may remember this beautiful couple. I can hardly believe this is even a real wedding. Sweet Sunday styled it to perfection, per the usual.
Featured Stationery: Hawthorne
My husband drew a little diddy! Week 16, one of us is only the size of an avocado and, well, one of us isn't.
Yesterday we welcomed a vintage Schneidewend and Lee press into our home. We love it. It’s a dream realized. I remember sitting by the pool at our apartment in Florida (5 homes and 3 yrs ago), day dreaming about owning our own business. Having a press to go along with that business was the pinnacle of that dream, and seemed too obscurely whimsical for reality. After many nights of no sleep... laughter and tears and sarcasm and lazy stints and obsessing and hoping we’re at a super exciting moment in our business world. It’s pressin’ time!
But that’s not the big news. Garett and I are so happy to announce that we’ll be welcoming our first baby into the world in late June. And we feel so humbled. We're trust that the God who was present in our heartache is as actively present in our joy today. He’ll see us through many a sleepless night, thankfully.
In April, to our complete surprise we found out we were expecting. Upon learning the news, we googled “how much do babies cost” and did a fair bit of awkward, happy/scared crying (not we, just me). We had a few days of just sitting on this information, and frankly, I’ve never been so overwhelmed by emotion. After a little paradigm adjusting, we found ourselves excitedly transitioned into the mode of anticipating parents to be (mood-swings, cravings and all). Then, in June our world went silent. The kind of silence that buzzes so loudly it makes the very air around you heavy and hard to breath. We miscarried, and we experienced the deepest loss we’ve yet to feel. The sadness wasn’t isolated to a few weeks, and it didn’t even ease with a few months. Our due date rolled around this past weekend, and my heart still aches that I’m not able to hold our baby in my arms.
However, the God who was present in our grief, showed us grace in the midst of darkness, and spoke His promises to us even when we had nothing kind to say to Him- is holding His children. He holds the lost and the living. When our baby went to be with Him, he brought Heaven down to me. I couldn’t see it or feel it in my sorrow, but encouragers, prayer warriors, sweet songs, comforting food, loving family, intentional friends and irreplaceable husbands were that breath of grace.
Heartache changes you.
In my worst times, I was hardened by it.
But by grace, we’ve been softened and we're more eager to give fierce love to those in our lives and those we eagerly anticipate.
I feel mildly middle-schoolish sharing a song, but it’s less about the song than it’s truth. This truth has seen me through many a season: hoping for it in the uncertainty of finding out we were expecting the first time, worshiping to it in the process of miscarrying, letting it say the things I could hardly believe on some really long nights, and leaning on it as we waited on this baby. Be encouraged, and find comfort in the grace you’ve been given today- however subtle it may be.
I love the fair. It's the sweetest reminder that fall is upon us. I love the canopies of cheesy stuffed animals, flashing neon lights and the prime people watching. I'm pretty convinced the Oklahoma State Fair has the wildest people watching.
From the second we walked through the gates, it was like all inhabition went right out the window. By that I mean our diets. We totally gorged on deep fried everything: hand-dipped corndogs, indian tacos, turkey legs, funnel cake, brisket sandwiches and fried snickers. Oh brother, I just got re-sick writing it out. It's no surprise that I busted my iphone screen just by sitting on it later in the evening. Yeah, sitting on it.
We went home with sticky faces, dusty shoes and enough calories to live off of until next year's state fair.
sweet friends!
We smooched on the top of the ferris wheel. It happened.
What's that old saying? Oh yes, it's better to give than to receive. Let's make it so by gussying up our own cards and wraps with this easy foam stamp DIY we made exclusively for our amazing freinds at Anthology!
Draw a shape, trace your initials or design a pattern on the foam to fit within the size constraints of your wood block. Then, cut it out of the foam.
Now, glue your foam to the wood block.
Ink your stamp completely on the ink pad. Then press the foam side of your stamp down on a piece of paper or card stock. Allow time for the ink to dry. Fold your card stock and now you’ve made your own piece stationery.
You can also press your inked stamp on a box or solid wrapping paper to dress up packaging and gifts! Happy giving!
My mornings are no longer satisfied by coffee alone, no, I need a dash of Alt. It's been my go to resource for blogging inspiration. It's packed full of clever advice, brilliant guest bloggers and a wealth of creativity.
When we started our business we were so blessed to have a network of people supporting and encouraging us, and it's been so instrumental in the growth and fun we've experienced this past year. That said, Alt needs to be added to your network of support. You're blog and readership will thank you!
This past year we've also learned to be in a network, you've got to give to the network. For us, this has meant joining in on the conversation, sharing what we've learned and being a part of the celebration of others. When we celebrate other's success, we're able to join in a community rather than pit against one another as competitiors. Celebrating Other's Success leaves very little room for comparisons between your work and anothers. Our times of greatest creative struggle have come when we've gotten too bogged down with what others around us have and are doing. Focus on your art, be encouraged by your milestones, and glean from the community of inspired thinkers around you.
For blogging inspiration and business advice check out the new Alt blog!
Happy Friday! Sorry we've been a little neglectful of our blog recently, we've just been extremely busy around here! We couldn't, however, neglect to post our Feature Friday of the week, because we are just so excited to share this great Oklahoma City treasure.
In the heart of the Plaza District lies one of our favorite boutiques - Collected Thread! These guys have an eclectic array of paper goods, clothing, candles, and so much more. Our favorite part? It's all handmade and mostly local. Although if you were to ask Lindsay Zodrow, the store's owner, she'd be happy to tell you that their product also comes from a plethora of different places, ranging from England to Spain to India. Pretty cool, if you ask us.
There is just too much awesomeness in this quaint, little shop to share everything, so you will need to go see it for yourself. You won't be disappointed.
Today we're sharing the sweetest thing about Oklahoma City, and they just happen to be really swell friends. It's Cuppies & Joe. It's the best little coffee shop, located in an upcoming area of OKC. Their specialties are cupcakes & coffee, and the kaleidoscope of flavors these ladies come up are unbelievably delightful. Their treats are delicious down to the last detail. Come on, with names like Boom Boom Pow, Horse Bite, Bangarang, they're making a statement that your taste buds can really celebrate.
While their baked goods often take center stage, it's impossible to overlook the incredible women behind this OKC staple. The Diefenderfer women are as sweet as the goodies they concoct. Don't believe me? Just ask anyone who's ever spent an afternoon here. You're not customers, you're family. Amongst the cozy loveseats, warm people, vintage tables and handmade art installations, we feel completely at home. We promise you'll leave feeling inspired and refreshed.
This week we're going to focus on recycling your wedding. It's easier than it sounds, and we've found several ways to help your wedding not only be eco-friendly, but will cut the cost significantly. We know firsthand how expensive a wedding can be, so what better way to cut expenses and help out the environment?
We suggest starting this process by hitting up your favorite antique and vintage stores for ideas - we love using mason jars, aluminum cans, vintage glass pieces, old books, etc. for centerpieces, buntings, or other decorative purposes. Here we have a few examples and ideas to keep your big day green (and to keep your green, too)!
We're obsessing over this vintage broach-bouquet. There's an adorale shop on Etsy that sells these beautiful, unique, and eco-friendly bouquet! (No plants were harmed during the making of this bouquet)
Recognize anything? This is from one of our earlier DIY posts. We incorporated several of our own vintage pieces, ribbons, and pictures to make this Bohemian style bunting. It's a great way for couples to incorporate personal style and taste, and spend very little to do so.
We mentioned earlier that we love using mason jars, and so do our friends over at Ruffled Blog, who had this great idea! They took a great vintage bookshelf and filled it with mason jars as party favors! We like the idea of filling these with seed or recycled scraps of paper for the couple's big exit.
We hope we've given you a few ideas to get your big day started! Be sure to check back on Thursday for our eco-friendly DIY, and have a Happy Tuesday!
You can blame it on the Olympics, Downton Abbey, or even the Royal Wedding, but we’ve definitely been hit by a new kind of British invasion. The dapper British gentlemen is making his way into the fall fashion scene with his tweeds, precision tailoring, and my personal favorite – the Fair Isle sweater. We've rounded up some of the best looks for fall, and we hope you enjoy them as much as we do (and will).
We suggest adding any of these classic items to your wardrobe. Not only will you be super stylish this season, but these should last for many more years to come. We think they can only get better with age!
At home, I tend to take a more lackadaisical approach when it comes to tending to plants, so I love that most succulents have the tendency to thrive despite a busy schedule and inconsistent waterings. And besides, they look terrific in just about any setting.
To get started, you’ll want to gather rocks, cactus/succulent potting soil and a variety of succulents. Feel free to use whatever kind of container you like. We picked up this chicken feeder from an antique store, because it worked with the eclectic style in our home, gave a nod to my husband’s farm upbringing and was the perfect length for a table centerpiece. Don’t be afraid to get creative with your container. If your family loves sports, find an antique trophy cup to display your plants. As long as you love it, it’s good!
First you’ll want to put a layer of rocks on the bottom of your container. This serves as a draining system. Also, if you’ve chosen to use a glass container the rocks give it an interesting look.
Next, add a layer of potting soil above the rocks. When you’re ready you can start adding your succulents to the container.
When organizing the succulents, we prefer the look of random spacing and groupings. It’s always a good rule to group your plants by odd numbers, so put a larger succulent to stand alone and cluster groups by 3′s or 5′s. Throw balance and perfection out the window too, because we think asymmetrically designing your succulents in the container creates the most interesting aesthetic!
Add more potting soil to fill in the gaps around your succulents and then you’re done. Happy growing!
Having worked with several couples (and remember – we are married, too!), we understand how hectic wedding planning can be. It seems almost impossible to plan every little detail, but we’ve got some cool, twenty-first century ways to help you with your big day. Anyone with an iPhone - and let’s face it, who doesn’t have an iPhone nowadays – can easily download these apps to help organize, generate ideas, and plan your big day.
We are huge fans of Brides Magazine, and they have a wonderful app that not only allows you to browse everything from gowns to honeymoon destinations, but they also provide a Digital Wedding Binder! This app even syncs up with their online Wedding Genius. We’re just not sure what to love most!
We just cannot get enough of The Wedding Party app. Our friends over at Green Wedding Shoes let us in on this little secret and we are loving it! This app is designed for the happy couple, but from the guests’ perspective!! Long gone are the days of disposable cameras, so this allows your guests to upload pictures from your wedding so that you can have the whole experience via photo! How cool is that?
Our intern Brett had a field day with this app! My Wedding Music was created by professional musicians who have seen firsthand the struggles of couples trying to pick wedding music. This app allows you to listen to each song, and is already categorized for each part of the ceremony. It also allows you to purchase and send digital sheet music to your musicians! Music made easy.
Enjoy your weekend, and be sure to check back with us next week. We can't say too much, but we guarantee that it's going to be a sweet one!
Today we'd like to do a little personal post about what Wednesday has been up to. We recently visited Garett's home town of Texico, New Mexico (yes it's a real place) to take part in the annual Border Town Days celebration. There is a parade, great food and lots of fun. This small town tradition is really just an excuse for all of the Mayfields to come back from all over (Tennessee, Texas, Australia) and have a small family reunion.
We loved getting to see everyone, especially our nieces, Braid & Kate, who are pretty much the stars of this post. Obviously, we are proud aunts & uncles. There were lots of laughs and a few tears, but they were always precious as you will see for yourself in these photos.
